"Go to the patch and pick me an ale!"

Cool weather here in the Midwest means pumpkins.

I mention this because there seems to be an exorbitant amount of pumpkin beers on the shelves these days.

According to the website Beeradvocate.com

Often released as a fall seasonal, Pumpkin Ales are quite varied. Some brewers opt to add hand-cut pumpkins and drop them in the mash, while others use puree or pumpkin flavoring. These beers also tend to be spiced with pumpkin pie spices, like: ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and all spice. Pumpkin Ales are typically mild, with little to no bitterness, a malty backbone, with some spice often taking the lead. Many will contain a starchy, slightly thick-ish, mouthfeel too. In our opinion, best versions use real pumpkin, while roasting the pumpkin can also add tremendous depth of character for even better results, though both methods are time-consuming and tend to drive brewmasters insane (end)

There are 189 examples reviewed on their website at: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style/72/?start=0

I've enjoyed a couple of different examples and will give them a C+ (nothing special to me).

Of course, here is a photo of what can happen if you drink too much of this stuff.

Unknown photo source, but a classic!

Bowie “Off to Notre Dame to cheer on the Fighting Irish” of Greenbriar